A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 830 Chapter 827: Side Story - Nation Founding (5)

'Miracle...?'

Paaaatt!

The meaning of those words eludes Makli Hyun-ah, yet as they fade away, the elderly man sporting a goat-like beard erupts in a brilliant white glow and vanishes instantly from his sight.

Makli Hyun-ah stretches out his divine sense in an attempt to locate the elder, but there's no trace of him anywhere.

'M-My goodness... He slipped away beyond the reach of my divine sense domain in a mere instant. Did he traverse space itself? Truly befitting of a senior at the Integration stage!'

Awe-struck by the might of the Integration stage senior, Makli Hyun-ah stares in wonder before bowing deeply toward the spot where the old man had stood, paying his solemn respects.

"Mister Jegal Mikhail, could we ever attain such heights one day?"

—...? What do you mean by that.

Jegal Mikhail, merely an inner presence within him, appears puzzled, yet Makli Hyun-ah pays it no mind whatsoever.

Soon after, a muted glow streaks in from the far edges of Ascension Forest, originating from the Heaven-Treading Desert's direction.

It's a cultivator of the Makli Clan.

Within that subdued light, Makli Hweol, now advanced to Grand Perfection Nascent Soul stage, is making his descent.

"Ah, Daoist Makli Hweol, you've arrived to assist. But rest assured, there's no need for concern. I've settled my vendetta personally, and my subordinates are steadily assuming control of Ascension Forest too."

"Hoho, that's a relief. I trust you completely. My visit isn't to aid you, Daoist, but simply to catch sight of a familiar face after so long."

"Uh... well..."

Makli Hyun-ah rubs the back of his head sheepishly. Upon reflection, he realizes that since the conclusion of the war against the Righteous Dao Immortal Sect Alliance, they haven't crossed paths often.

"I'm intending to erect a magnificent palace close by and summon mortals to establish the capital here, but since you're present, why not share a drink in this picturesque spot before work commences?"

Makli Hyun-ah unrolls his storage scroll and retrieves the cherished wine reserved for Makli Hweol, who scans the area curiously as if seeking something specific.

Makli Hweol surveys the vicinity for a moment, then releases a soft sigh and gives a nod.

"My thanks. Haha..."

In this way, the pair settles at the heart of Ascension Forest, right where they first landed, exchanging the wine flask while savoring the beauty around them.

***

Time drifts onward without pause.

Ere long,

The merits of the Confucian Family Method earn Makli Hyun-ah recognition from numerous cultivation sects, and with the stipulation that he adapts the Confucian Family Method for collateral branches of various sects to study, he secures unanimous approval from all sects across the four cardinal directions, along with the myriad Demon Race factions.

Makli Hweol assists Makli Hyun-ah by his side in crafting these Confucian Family Methods.

To be precise, Makli Hweol takes the core principles of the Confucian Family Method that Makli Hyun-ah describes and builds upon them to develop the methods step by step.

In return for these Confucian Family Methods, Makli Hyun-ah establishes a nation at the core of the Heaven-Treading Desert and ascends the throne as its legitimate sovereign.

He at last breaks through to the realm akin to the Heavenly Being stage.

Kururung!

Swaaaaaah!

By good fortune, the Heavenly Tribulation for the Heavenly Being stage manifests as a standard natural calamity.

Nevertheless, relentless rain cascades across the whole desert for forty-nine days, forcing Makli Hyun-ah, from the inaugural year of the nation's birth, to gaze upon the desert transforming into an vast ocean with a heavy sigh.

As Makli Hweol explains, the tribulation's mildness stems from the broad endorsements by nations and powers before founding the realm. With lesser prestige and influence, he would have endured a far graver ordeal.

In its initial phase, the Heaven-Treading Desert remains merely arid wasteland...

Yet upon attaining the Heavenly Being stage equivalent, where Makli Hyun-ah wields vastly enhanced control over aberrant energies and unruly spirits, he subdues irrational demon beasts or fiendish cultivators, confines them within clay figures, thrashes them into submission, summons earth's vital essence from diverse locales, and summons rainfall.

Furthermore, thanks to the traits of Pacifying Myriad Demons Under Heaven Survey, the populace of Makli Hyun-ah's nation consists predominantly of the Demon Race, boasting physiques far more resilient than humans, enduring the desert's severe conditions with mere discomfort rather than fatal peril.

Dozens of years elapse.

Owing to Makli Hyun-ah and his Demon Race followers channeling the earth's life force throughout the desert, invigorating the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and reclaiming the terrain, the Heaven-Treading Desert soon evolves from barren sands into expansive plains.

Sprigs of grass emerge sporadically, shifting the ochre dunes to a subtle verdant expanse.

Admittedly, with the planet's vitality and spiritual veins not yet fully restored, excavating slightly below the grass reveals underlying sand layers, rendering it a partial plain at best.

To address this, Makli Hweol suggests a strategy.

"Your Majesty, from what I see, the issue lies in the lack of true mountains and rivers within our borders. Thus, I recommend fashioning mountains and waterways across the land to naturally enrich the soil over time."

"Hm... that sounds like a massive undertaking... Still, mountains aside, we lack even a reliable water source for rivers, don't we?"

Makli Hyun-ah contemplates Makli Hweol's proposal, but swiftly devises a remedy through a heirloom artifact of the Makli Clan.

"This is the heirloom of the main lineage, the Clear Scale Armor. Legend holds it as a tear from the mythical Immortal Beast Xiezhi. As a vessel brimming with profound water essence, stacking mountains and cascading the Xiezhi's tear from their peak should birth a river spanning the nation."

"...! How could I possibly accept such a invaluable item...?"

"The main house has decreed it so. Kindly receive it."

"...Very well."

Makli Hyun-ah accepts the Xiezhi's tear proffered by Makli Hweol and commands the erection of a mountain at Ascension Forest's core, facing the royal palace.

Subsequently, myriad demon beasts, obeying Makli Hyun-ah's directive, hoist the grounded Ascension Forest upward to form a colossal peak.

From that summit, Makli Hyun-ah releases the Xiezhi's tear, unleashing a mighty deluge that cascades down the slopes.

The flood extends boundlessly, weaving through the former Heaven-Treading Desert that now forms the nation.

Myriad aquatic demon beasts,

Especially the Sea Dragon Race, claim the watercourse, shape it into defined rivers, align their paths for optimal farmland development, and direct the flow toward the ocean.

As eras unfold, the region once dubbed the Heaven-Treading Desert, now the 'Heaven-Treading Plain,' blooms into fertility.

Seated upon the towering central mountain chain of the Heaven-Treading Plain, Makli Hyun-ah proclaims a new national title.

Not merely the 'Sea Demon Nation' inhabited by sea demon beasts, but the paramount realm on Penglai Star.

The preeminent domain embodying all of Penglai Star.

He christens it 'Penglai Kingdom'.

Penglai Kingdom emerges as the wealthiest and mightiest state across Penglai Star, a haven where humans and monsters coexist peacefully, and with the Confucian Family Method disseminated throughout, cultivators refrain from harming ordinary folk.

Makli Hyun-ah gathers the finest youths from the clan's collateral lines as potential heirs, pits those with superior administrative talents against one another, and commences arrangements for his ascension.

This unfolds in the year signifying two centuries since Makli Hyun-ah's arrival on Penglai Star.

***

Penglai Kingdom Royal Palace.

From a secluded pavilion deep inside Makli Hyun-ah's palace, voices echo forth.

"Daoist Makli Hweol's cultivation progress leaves me far behind. Even after selecting a successor post-nation founding, I can't aspire to match a Daoist who's stepped into half-step Four-Axis stage..."

"Hoho, don't lose heart too much. In any case, once Your Majesty Makli Hyun-ah settles on a proper heir, you'll attain the half-step Four-Axis stage yourself."

"Feel free to address me as Daoist once more. I'm gradually relinquishing the throne. And since I'll ascend to the heavens (昇天) prior to finalizing the successor, it appears I'll only achieve half-step Four-Axis in the Upper Realm."

"Hoho. Incidentally, who do you reckon will be the successor, Daoist?"

"Hmm..."

Makli Hyun-ah glances at the prospects assembled in one corner of the pavilion.

"The frontrunners are Makli Donald's son, Makli Potter; Makli Bi-yeol's son, Makli Seong-in; and... Makli Seo-hye from a collateral branch. Those three stand out. Regarding capability, Makli Seo-hye excels the most."

"Indeed... but will Daoist truly abstain from choosing decisively among them before departing?"

"Hm... regrettably, all three shine so brilliantly that selection eludes me. Thus, post-ascension, I've resolved to entrust it to the elders' council. Grand Council Lord Makli Hye-seo has pledged her aid."

"Grand Council Lord Makli Hye-seo is nearing her life's end too... I hadn't anticipated her stagnation. It's a pity."

"Tsk... yes."

Makli Hyun-ah offers a wry smile, thinking of her stalled at Core Formation without reaching Nascent Soul, her vitality waning.

"Once in the Upper Realm, it'd be ideal to procure a potent technique or elixir for prolonging life and dispatch it below, but... that won't come easily."

"True. Interfering with the Lower Realm from the Upper Realm proves challenging. The greater the cultivation level, the harder it becomes. Even Senior Makli Cheon-sa, after surpassing a threshold, struggled to enact divine descent for Daoist bearing the Extreme Ghost Path Body."

"Tsk..."

Makli Hyun-ah ruffles his hair and clicks his tongue in frustration.

"Why do Upper Realm grand cultivators face such barriers in influencing the lower realm? What causes this occurrence...?"

"Well... perhaps the cosmos decrees it to curb excessive dominance. Hoho..."

"Hm..."

"By the way, has Daoist settled on an ascension date?"

"The earlier, the better. I must rescue my elder sister. Hence, I've scheduled it for ten days hence."

"Excellent. The Avīci space storm will soon calm, making it an opportune moment."

"The Confucian Family Method's flaw... lies in scant aid during ascension, so I'll depend on Daoist Makli Hweol."

"Naturally. Rest easy. I've arranged all necessities for Daoist Makli Hyun-ah's ascension."

"My gratitude. With Daoist's support, confronting Avīci's horrors won't prove arduous."

Ascending to the Upper Realm demands traversing Avīci, a spatial realm en route thereto.

This domain, once termed the Interdimensional Void in antiquity, appears as an infinite, crystalline expanse teeming with oddities.

Accordingly, Makli Hyun-ah formulates tactics against Avīci's denizens and, over ensuing days, tours Penglai Kingdom to compose his thoughts.

He plummeted into an enigmatic realm, encountered diverse souls, and forged bonds.

He mastered peculiar arts, embraced the Confucian Family Method, claimed kingship, and governed for two hundred years.

Denying all sentiment would falsehood, yet oddly, as departure nears, it all seems a fleeting dream.

"Life is impermanent..."

Makli Hyun-ah reflects on the prior two centuries and cherishes the final ten days.

***

Ten days hence.

To imprint his ultimate social authority, Makli Hyun-ah convenes all officials major and minor, alongside sages, elders, and monsters from every district, positioning himself before them outside the palace.

"After reigning two hundred years as Penglai Kingdom's sovereign, this king, Makli Hyun-ah, now returns to the heavens to safeguard the realm from above. Thus, you officials and subjects, bid this king farewell with utmost reverence, strive vigorously in life. This king shall eternally oversee you from the celestial heights, bestowing blessings upon the kingdom!"

In Makli Nobi's eyes, as he proclaims Makli Hyun-ah's decree, a torrent of feelings flickers.

Ere long, Makli Nobi has aged into an elder himself.

Unable to transcend Qi Building stage, his own lifespan draws to a close soon.

"Farewell eternally! With this, my final decree to you, the myriad subjects! This one now ascends to the heavens!"

As Makli Hyun-ah's parting edict resounds through Makli Nobi.

Flash!

Makli Hyun-ah's form envelops in radiance and lifts skyward.

The ascension of a Confucian Family Method cultivator unfolds straightforwardly.

Harnessing the 'expulsion' power inherent to the Confucian Family Method, he banishes even his own being—the final aberrant force and turbulent spirit lingering in the kingdom—thereby purging all such anomalies nationwide and ascending.

Makli Hyun-ah gazes down upon the upturned faces of officials great and small, and the assembled elders and monsters at the palace, raising his hand in farewell.

And far beneath, Makli Nobi mirrors the gesture, waving back.

Behind Makli Nobi, innumerable officials and citizens wave toward Makli Hyun-ah.

"Stay well!"

"Your Majestyyyy!! Safeguard your noble form...!!!"

"Health to you, Your Majesty!"

Enshrouded in light amid his self-expulsion, Makli Hyun-ah beams at them before turning away.

With that, Makli Hyun-ah's silhouette fully cloaks in brilliance and soars beyond Penglai Star.

Thus, Makli Hyun-ah ascends.

Post-ascension, a successor king bestows upon him the posthumous title Taehyeon Great King (太顯大王), recording his abrupt ascent to the heavens (昇天) in the 200th year of Taehyeon, etching him indelibly in the souls of Penglai Kingdom's descendants.

[TL/N: Ascend to the heavens (昇天) is saying that also means passed away.]

***

Kugugugugu!

Makli Hyun-ah arrives in Avīci, navigating through eerie dimensional barriers gleaming in every hue of the celestial spectrum, drawing near to Makli Hweol, who preceded him there.

"Damn... entering this domain beyond Penglai Kingdom's influence feels like courting death."

The Confucian Family Method culminates in ascension via self-expulsion as the ultimate aberrant power and chaotic spirit.

And by 'ascending to the heavens' thus, enduring as perpetual myth and lore among one's subjects, sustaining social authority until the tales fade from oral tradition, marks the pinnacle of Lower Realm cultivation in the Confucian Family Method.

Success yields boundless social authority over extended periods, though it incurs the penalty of diminished personal power right after 'self-expulsion.'

‘One ought not ascend without an Immortal Family Methods cultivator's assistance. This truly is...’

Makli Hyun-ah chuckles wryly at the Confucian Family Method's limitations and boards the vessel-like magic artifact Makli Hweol has readied.

"Onward we go, Daoist Makli Hyun-ah. You've toiled relentlessly until now."

"No, not in the least. I entrust the ascension journey to you, Daoist Makli Hweol."

"Think nothing of it. In truth, when Avīci's Vestiges assail us, Daoist Makli Hyun-ah's powers like expulsion, oppression, negation, and sealing will prove invaluable."

Trading auspicious words, they propel straight through Avīci, heading toward the purple-gold